Attachment for internal combustion engines



Feb. 27, 1940. e. H. MEISER ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINESFiled July 18, 1938 wwzw M Patented Feb. 27, 1940 JATTACHMENT. FORINTERNAL COMBUSr TION -ENGIN-ES George Meiser, Chicago; 111. Application.July 18,: 1938; Serial No." 219,889

v I Claims. inventioni relates to improvements in attachments forinternal combustion engines and, moreparticularly', an air pump adaptedfor use inzconnection with .a'multi-cylinder internal com- 5 bustion'engine my attachment being primarily adaptedforuse in connection withmotor vehicles for'tireinflation, though as will be understood it may beput to other uses.

Devices of this character require for their use n merely the removal ofa spark plug from one of the cylinders of the engine and the insertionof the device into. the spark-plug-receiving opening.

The engine isthen operated with the remaining cylinders and the onehaving the device attached operates in conjunction therewith to pumpair,

the air to be pumped being drawn into the device onrthe suction strokeof the engine and then compressed on the compression stroke.

As will be understood, it is essential for pump ingof high pressuresthat the means controlling vice" on the engine suction stroke and-theshnt ting, offof this air from the atmosphere on the engine compressionstroke be as nearly instan pressure as possible; in other words,that'valvelag be minimized to as great a degree as possible.

not only because such lag reduces the efficiency of the pump but becauseunless practically nonexistent on the suction stroke is apt to result inthe pumping of gasoline vapor instead of pure air;

By providing against valve lag on the suction stroke thus permittinginstantaneous flow of air to the pumping cylinder, and providing for thefree flow of .sufiicient quantities of air through the device, suctionproduced by'the pumpingcylinder of the engine may be relievedsufliciently to insure againstth'e drawing of gasoline vapor into thecylinder from the intake of the engine in which vacuum exists. v

Furthermore, in the use of the device in the spark-plug-receivingopening of the pumping cylinder the inlet for the air drawn into thepumping cylinder. through the device is limited- .i to the size of thisopening which is relatively small, audit is therefore necessary, inorder that the pumping cylinder pump high pressures with out pumpinggasoline vapor, that the device permit of unrestricted flow of air tothe pumping cylinder'and that the air inlet valve of the device actwithout substantial lag'in both opening and closing. Restricted flow ofair into the de vicereduces efliciency by reducing the pressure whichmay be'developed andr'esults in the creatlo'n of such vacuum in thepumping cylinder,

the-flow of air from the atmosphere into the de taneously reactive tothe engine suction and on its suctionstroke; as to draw gasoline vapor;fromthe: intake of the engineinto the pumping cylinder. Valve lag inthe: drawing ofairiint'o the device not only reduces thepressurer'whichx may be developed, but also is apt to resultiinithepumping of' gasoline vapors and. valve lag onv the compression: stroke"of the pumping cylinder: rei- I ducesxthe pressure developed.

Devices of this character for. universal: application mustbe adapted.for: satisfactory operation? 1W on engineswhich operatev notonly'at.1ow-,'but. relatively-high, idling speeds. The higheri'th'ei.

idling speed of the engine the rnoreanecessary the avoidance of valvelag and avoidance of restricted? airflow to the air inlet(sparloplug-receiving 113 opening) of. the pumping cylinder for: pumpinghigh pressures Without the pumping of gasoline:

vapors;

Certain of myobjects areto provide a device of the character describedwhich will operate 20 to insure suchfree instantaneousiflow of air: intothe pumping cylinder as to avoid. the pumping of gasoline vapor even atrelatively high. engine idling speeds; to effect quick shut'eofl of thedcvice' tothe atmosphereuporr the conclusion of" the suction stroke;to'providea deviceby whiclt, high pressures will be produced. at anyusual engine-idling speeds without pumping gasoline vapors; andtoaccomplish these results by. a

novel, simple and inexpensive. construction of device. I vAnotherrequirement' of a device of the char.-

acter stated is that it shall be adapted'for application touse onengines as atpresent comrnonly constructed many ofwhi'ch are of suchdesign as to: present obstruction tothe' application thereto of'such"devices unless provided. of relatively smallsize; it being another of myobjects to provideadevice byWhichthe purposesabove men'- tionedimay beaccomplished: and: yet Will -be 01544.)?

' such small sizeias'to adapt it tobe used on'engines of. such designs"that devices. of relatively large size. cannot-be used; i

Referring to. the accompanying drawing: Figurelis. a'vi'ew in verticalsectional-elevation 5 of one of fthei cylinders ofv a multi-cylinderinter nal combustion engine showingit as equipped? with a deviceembodying my invention. a I

'Figurez is'an enlarged view in vertical sec.- tional elevation of thedevice Of'Fig-Ll.

, Figure 3 is-a' plan'view of the device, the-checksvalve-equipped"cap'thereof being removed.

Figured is a plan section'alview taken atith'e line '4' on Fi'giz an'dviewedTin the direction -of the: arrow showing the flapvalves formingapart of:

Figure is a view like Fig. 4 showing the position assumed by the flapvalves when air is being expelled from the device.

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of the flap valves and the cage orretainer therefor showing one of the valves in section; and

Figure 7, a view in side elevation of .the cage, the cage being viewedfrom the right-hand side of Fig. 6.

The illustrated device comprises a cylindrical casing 8 having its lowerend somewhat reduced :in diameter and providedwith external screwthreads Q adapted to be screwed into the sparkplug-receiving opening Illof one of the cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion enginesuch as the cylinder II of the engine represented at I2.

' The casing 8 contains diametrically opposed series I 3 and I4 ofcircumferential slots each shown of a length slightly greater thanonefourth of the circumference of the casing, these slotsforming airinlets for the purpose hereinafter explained.

The air inlets I3 and M are controlled by check valves in the form offlap valves I5 and I6, these valves being preferably made of arubberlike material having the necessary qualities to meet theconditions of use in connection with an internal combustion engine, suchas is well known in the art; the material known in the art as Neoprenebeing admirably suited for my purpose.

The valves I5 and IS are held in position by a cage or retainer IIcomprising an upper plate portion I8 centrally apertured at I9 anddepending arcuate inwardly tapering portions 28 and 2| connected withopposite edges of the plate portion I3 and spaced from the side wall ofthe casing 8, the adjacent upwardly extending edges of the members 20and 2i being spaced apart as shown to provide diametrically opposedslots 22 and 23 extending lengthwise of the cage throughout the greaterportion of its length-in the construction shown, throughout the lengthof the cage and the length of the series of air inlets l3 and I4.Preferably the members forming the cage are made of sheet metal and may,if desired, be formed of a single sheet thereof stamped or pressed intothe desired shape.

,The flap valves are supported at their upper marginal edges on the'cagein registration with the arcuate members 20 and 2|. The means shown forso supporting the flap valves comprise tits 24 struck outwardly from theupper portions of the members 26 and 2I and which extend into openings25 in the flap valves, whereby the flap valves depend from the cage andthe portions thereof opposing the air inlets I 3 and I 4 are movablecrosswise of the device into and out of'a position inwhich they closethe air inlets.

The cage is so positioned in the casing 8 as to cause its arcuatemembers 20 and 2I and the flap valves carried thereby to span the seriesof slots I3 and It in which position of the parts the slots 22 and 23register with the solid portions of the side wall of the casingtl. Thecasing is supported in this position by means of substantiallydiametrically opposed lugs 26 extending laterally from the marginal edgeof the plate I8,

these lugs seating onthe lower end walls of short grooves 21 provided onthe inner surface of the side wall of the casing 8 and extendinglengthwise thereof.

l 23 into the cage and discharging through its open bottom into thecasing below the cage.

The upper end of the casing 8 is closed by a cap 28 hereinbeforereferred to, screwed intothe casing 8 and having a centrally disposedair outlet 29 controlled by a ball check 30,the upper end of the capbeing provided with a nipple 3| adapted for attachment tothe end of aflexible hose shown at 32. This capopposes the plate portion I8 of thecage and prevents upward dis.- placement thereof.

The vparts are so proportionedas shown that when the flap valves I5 andI6 are displaced from the air inlets I3 and I4 as shown in Figs. 2 and4,

In the use of the device the casing 8 is screwed onto aspark-plug-receiving opening as above described. When the engine isoperated-"the piston in the cylinder to which the device is; attachedoperates to draw air-into the casing 8- through the openings I3 and I4and expel it ,at

high pressure throughthe opening 29 into the.

hose 32. i

The flap valves I5 and I6 being supported at marginal portions asdescribed are thus free to move at their portions opposing the airinlets I3 and I4 and without any interference between them and anyfrictional resistance, thus rendering them very sensitive in action.Furthermore, provision is afforded by the construction shown anddescribed for the free, substantially unobstructed flow of the air fromthe air inlets I3 and I5 into the interior of the lower end of thecasing I3 and in such volume as toprevent vacuum produced on thesuctionstroke of the piston of the pumping cylinder from becomingsufiiciently effective on the gas intake ofthe engine as to drawgasoline into this cylinder.

In the particular construction shown the cage I I not only serves as asupport for-the flap valves but also as a means for limiting inwardrnovement of the free edge portions thereof on the suction stroke of thepumping cylinder; serving to permit the flap valves to move inwardlysufiiciently far for efiecting the desired airflow through the devicebut preventing flapping or fluttering ofthe flap valves as would occurin case no such stops were provided. and which would manifestly beobjectionabl l The sensitivity of the flap valvesis effective not onlyas a factor in developing a high de gree of emciency in. the pumping ofair, .per-

Knitting high pressures to be developed, but also as a factorinpreventing the pumping of, gasoline. a l

. While I have illustrated'and described a particular constructionembodying my. invention! do not wish to be understood as (intending toin other forms of structure" without departing from the spirit of theinvention What I claim as new and desire to. secure by.

Letters Patent, is:

as 1 limit it thereto as the same may "be variously modified and alteredand the invention embodied:

its side wall, a valve cage in said casing and spaced therefrom, and aflap valve between said casing and cage and secured in place at itsupper marginal portion and presenting a free depending portion extendinggenerally lengthwise of the device and cooperating with said air inlet,

said cage having a slut beyond said flap valve and extending generallyin the direction of the length of the device and substantiallythroughout the length of said cage whereby a portion of the air drawninto said casing passes through said slot into said cage for dischargefrom an end thereof. i o

2. A device of, the character described comprising a casing adapted forcommunication with the interior of a cylinder of an internal combustionengine, said casing having air inlets in its side wall, a valve cage insaid casing and spaced therefrom, and flap valves between said casingand cage and secured in place at their upper marginal portions andpresenting free depending portions extending generally lengthwise of thedevice and cooperating with said air inlets, said cage having a slotlocated beyond said flap valves and extending generally in the directionof the length of the device and substantially throughout the length ofsaid cage whereby a portion of the air drawn into said casing passesfrom said slot into said cage for "discharge through an end thereof.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing adapted forcommunication with the interior of a cylinder of an internal combustionengine, said casing having air inlets in its side wall, a valve cage insaid casing and spaced therefrom, and opposed flap valves between saidc'asing and cage and secured in place at their upper marginal portionsand presenting free depending portions extending generally lengthwise ofthe device and cooperating with said air inlets, said cage having slotslocated adjacent longitudinal edges of said flap valves and beyond saidflap valves and extending generally in the direction of the length ofthe device and substantially throughout the length of said cage, wherebya portion of the air drawn into said casing passes through said slotsinto said cage for discharge through an end thereof.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing adapted forcommunication with the interior of a cylinder of an internal combustionengine, said casing having an air inlet in its side wall, a valve cagein said casing having an upper plate portion by which said cage issupported in said casing, the lower portion of said cage being spacedfrom the side wall of said casing, and a flap valve in said casingsecured in place at its upper marginal portion and presenting a freedepending portion extending generally lengthwise of the device andcooperating with said air inlet, said cage having a slot located beyondsaid flap valve and extending generally in the direction of the lengthof i the device and substantially throughout the length of said cage,whereby a portion of the air drawn into said casing passes through saidslot into said cage for discharge through an end thereof. I

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing adapted forcommunication with the interior of a cylinder of an internal combustionengine, said casing having air inlets in its side wall, a valve cage insaid casing comprising an upper plate portion at which said cage issupported in said casing and plate portions depending from said upperplate portion and spaced from the side wall of said casing, and flapvalves between said depending plate portions and said casing and securedin place at their upper marginal portions and presenting free dependingportions extending generally lengthwise of the device and cooperatingwith said air inlets, said plate portions being spaced

